The Library of America edition, based on the Centenary
Edition, has "common weal.". It is just a variant
spelling, and means the same thing--for the benefit of the common
community. We can find no other use of "commonweal" in
Hawthorne's writings (though quite a few of
"commonwealth"), and one other of "common
weal," in "Chiefly
about War Matters."

In what way would Hester be worthy? First, it was an
arbitrary punishment by an iron-clad law that would be applied
whether or not Hester was worthy in any other way. Does she mean
that the magistrates did not have the power to revoke God's
law? Or does she mean that God placed the letter there and so He
would have to take it off--i.e., after she was dead and judged in
the Final Judgment? Or that God's grace could redeem her sin
before then--in which case, why not now--what would make her more
worthy than she is now? She does not speak of any repentance.
But if none of the above, at least she demands nothing at this
point but accepts what comes to her, gloomy though it might be.
Still, she is not willing to stand by and let Chillingworth
torture Arthur.

A striking phrase, even though the glare of red light and
puff of passion are a bit hard to take for modern readers. We see
these Romantic details added to the description, but we lack
words concretely describing just what devilish behavior
Chillingworth is up to, to deserve this kind of treatment.
We are led to make our own suppositions.

That is, in
Chapter 4, The Interview,
Chillingworth (formerly Prynne) forced Hester Prynne to promise
to keep his identity as husband secret from everyone else.
Since then, Chillingworth has been at work on Dimmesdale, once he
realized that he was the adulterer. The doctor has kept the
pastor alive only to make him suffer more. The torture is also
partly mental. Here we find confirmed that Hester and
Chillingworth both know about Dimmesdale's sin, but
Dimmesdale does not fully, consciously, know that Chillingworth
knows. The reference later to "poison" is not a literal
one, but figurative. We see that what Chillingworth is doing is
more a sin than what Dimmesdale did--he is taking the power of
God into his own hands. Hester wants Chillingworth to give up
his idea of revenge, which has taken over and ruined his life.
But Chillingworth refuses, and even refuses to pardon Hester,
saying the scarlet letter should work its own punishment.

Chillingworth as we know has been acting the outward signs of
being a Christian and Puritan, and apparently has had a Puritan
or at least Calvinist upbringing in England or Europe. Thus he
now falls back on the Puritan idea of predestination as in
control of everyone's fate, and refuses to take an active
role in judging for himself, for good or for bad. He even states
that neither Arthur nor Hester have been sinful, and that he
is not a fiend, either. Of course, the author puts all this into
Chillingworth's mouth, and does not state it himself as
narrator.

There is no black flower, but if there were it would be
evil. Chillingworth here is saying, "The Devil take
you!"

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